Quality public services, at their best, are the tools used by responsible and democratic governments to serve the best interests of their citizens. Public administration of services such as health care, education, and utilities promotes equality and the common good, not greater profit for a few. Like all other workers, public employees deserve a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, decent working conditions, and respect for their right to free collective bargaining.

Detroit is the largest city to file for bankruptcy in United States history. But it is not the only city in economic crisis, and what happens in Detroit matters—it matters to AFSCME members who have dedicated their working lives to providing quality public services to the city and community, it matters to workers and retirees across the United States and around the world, it matters to all public sector workers who we depend upon to provide quality public services to citizens around the world. Detroit matters to all of us and we stand in solidarity with the workers and retirees of the city.

Resolutions adopted at the 29th World Congress of Public Services International, held in Durban, South Africa, 27-30 November 2012. The resolutions are available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Japanese and Russian.

On 25th February the new Korean President Park Guenhye will take office. Let’s make sure that she will not forget this day! PSI calls upon President-elect Park Guenhye to commit to the basic human and labour rights that public workers are entitled to, to recognize the KGEU and to reinstate the dismissed workers. This would be a signal of hope that would pave the way for a renewed dialogue and normalization of labour relations in the public sector in Korea.

In the face of widening cuts to public services and attacks on the rights of public sector workers around the world, leaders of private and public sector trade unions, municipal governments and civil society groups made the unprecedented joint commitment to work together to promote investment in quality public services backed by fair taxation policies as the key solution to the economic crisis, and the best way to build peaceful, equitable, democratic and environmentally-sustainable societies.

Environmental and social sustainability provided the primary theme for PSI’s work in 2009. Leading into the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen in December, trade unions and civil society allies worked hard to ensure that world leaders would agree on an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions. Alas, this dream did not become reality. But we are committed to continuing this struggle and achieving real results.

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Public Services International is a global trade union federation representing 20 million working women and men who deliver vital public services in 154 countries. PSI champions human rights, advocates for social justice and promotes universal access to quality public services. PSI works with the United Nations system and in partnership with labour, civil society and other organisations.